Assess Your Job Survival Skills
Do you have what it takes to tackle the rare but really tough workplace experiences that tend to happen all at once? Take this quiz to find out.
- 1.
Oh-no! There was a car accident and you have been stuck in traffic for an hour. You are now 15 minutes late for a meeting! When you come in, your boss does not look pleased. What do you do?
- A.
Walk in and interrupt the meeting with an apology and an excuse. You need to make sure they know you’re sorry!
- B.
Quickly apologize for being late and sit down. After the meeting, approach your boss and colleagues and explain your situation. You don’t want your coworkers bad-mouthing you behind your back!
- C.
Quietly sit down and act calm. After the meeting, you approach your boss and explain your situation. You tell her that you are very sorry and that it won’t happen again.
- D.
After quietly sitting down, you need to catch up. Ask what is going on and jump in the conversation.
Correct Answer
C. Quietly sit down and act calm. After the meeting, you approach your boss and explain your situation. You tell her that you are very sorry and that it won’t happen again.Explanation
You are already interrupting the meeting by walking in late. Don't compound the problem by speaking unless the presenter asks you to. However, don't leave your boss hanging either. Soon as you can let her know what made you late.Rate this question:
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- 2.
You are on the phone with an irate customer. They are very worked up and calling you names because you can’t solve their problem. How do you handle the call?
- A.
You get worked up and yell right back at them! You aren’t going to let them talk to you that way!
- B.
Tell them if they continue to speak to you in that manner you will have to hang up.
- C.
When you get a chance to speak, calmly tell them you are very sorry and that you understand. Listen to them until they calm down. Politely tell them the reason you can’t solve their issue.
- D.
Tell them that there is nothing you can do and ask them if they would like to speak to your manager.
Correct Answer
C. When you get a chance to speak, calmly tell them you are very sorry and that you understand. Listen to them until they calm down. Politely tell them the reason you can’t solve their issue.Explanation
Obviously the first two options will only frustrate the customer further. Although there will be times when you will need to transfer your client to your manager, you should always try to take care of the customer yourself.Rate this question:
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- 3.
4. You get a promotion! Good for you. But now you have to try and manage former friends who think they can take advantage of you. How do you deal with this?
- A.
You should be there for your friends. You would expect the same treatment if the situation were reversed.
- B.
Let your friends know that you can be friends when you are off the clock, but during company time you have no friends.
- C.
Talk to your friends. Let them know that you are committed both to your friendship and part of that commitment includes helping them keep job commitments and responsibilities so they too can be promoted, or at least not fired when you are transferred.
- D.
Fire them. This will serve as a good example that you should be respected and feared. Besides, they have served their purpose, and its time for you to make new friends anyway.
Correct Answer
C. Talk to your friends. Let them know that you are committed both to your friendship and part of that commitment includes helping them keep job commitments and responsibilities so they too can be promoted, or at least not fired when you are transferred.Explanation
Open communication, and supportive friends is the key to successfully navigating this situation.Rate this question:
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- 4.
5. The new Director of Sales (a position you applied for) has been hired from the outside. He is not familiar with your company, your market and your coworkers. In your first meeting he seems very disorganized. You should...
- A.
Sit back and enjoy the show.
- B.
This is your opportunity to show what you can do. Take the reins, and show the new guy you have initiative.
- C.
Heckle the new guy repeatedly. Extra points if you can make him/her end the meeting early.
- D.
Ask questions, participate, and help your new manager steer the course of the meeting.
Correct Answer
D. Ask questions, participate, and help your new manager steer the course of the meeting.Explanation
Support the new guy. Not because you like him, but because it will not help you any to start a fight with someone your superiors has put in a position of authority over you. Either suck it up, or seek employement elsewhere.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Your supervisor implies that it would be a lot easier for you to get promoted if you went on a date with her. You politely decline. However, for the next few weeks she keeps asking. What should you do?
- A.
Report it to her Manager, or the Human Resources Department.
- B.
Introduce her to another coworker she may be interested in.
- C.
Call in sick as often as you can to avoid her as much as you can. If that fails, start spreading rumors about her terrorist activities.
- D.
Do it! Just get her off your back already. Make sure she does not have a good time.
Correct Answer
A. Report it to her Manager, or the Human Resources Department.Explanation
This one seems like common sense. If it does not seem that way to you perhaps you should take our harrassment course.Rate this question:
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- 6.
Your superior approaches you while you are surfing the internet during work hours. How do you recover?
- A.
Press the off button on your monitor.
- B.
Say, “how did I get here?” and press the back button on your browser.
- C.
Think quickly and tie it into something work related.
- D.
Distract attention away from your screen, and maintain eye contact through whatever means necessary.
- E.
None of the above.
Correct Answer
E. None of the above.Explanation
You should not be surfing the internet during work hours. But if you are (and we all do sometimes), don't try to hide it. You've already been caught.Rate this question:
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- 7.
Your spouse makes you a delicious gourmet sandwich for lunch, you put it in the company fridge. At lunchtime, you realize it’s missing. How do you handle it?
- A.
You leave a note in the fridge to remind people to mind their manners.
- B.
From now on you clearly label your food. Name, and date.
- C.
You tell HR, and Security, and you blog about it, and you write hate mail notes in the bathroom, and the conference room, and the company job board.
- D.
The next day you make another that looks just as good, but you fill it with tobasco sauce.
Correct Answer
B. From now on you clearly label your food. Name, and date.Explanation
You would think this would not be neccessary, but labeling your food will stop all but the most brazen of lunch thieves. You could bother HR with the problem, but should let them take care of it from there. If all else fails the tobasco sauce option is something that we legally cannot suggest.Rate this question:
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- 8.
A customer has identified a problem in your customer support department, and you have been assigned to resolve the problem. Your first order of business should be to:
- A.
Gather technical data to identify the problem.
- B.
Figure out who to blame.
- C.
Hold a press conference and re-label the problem as a “feature.”
- D.
Hold a meeting.
Correct Answer
A. Gather technical data to identify the problem.Explanation
A meeting may be advisable but not until you know what to meet about. The spin is as a feature may be an outcome of the meeting, but first you should identify the problem. The blame option only works in military. (kidding, no blame)Rate this question:
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- 9.
When terminating an employee there are certain thing you should never say. Check all the things that you should never say in a termination interview.
- A.
Do you have any questions?
- B.
Is there anything you would like to say?
- C.
I am sorry.
- D.
Would you like fries with that?
- E.
All of the above
Correct Answer
E. All of the aboveExplanation
Do not apologize, it gives the impression that you feel like you are doing something wrong. It's really to late for them to say anything of value, and it's unlikely any answer to any question they could ask would be of value to them at this point. The fries comment is just crass.Rate this question:
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